After Nice’s recent move to ban large cruise ships, the glamorous French Riviera city of Cannes, best known for its iconic film festival, is now adopting similar restrictions. Starting January 1, 2026, any ship carrying more than 1,300 passengers will be banned from docking in the bay of Cannes. The city council approved the “drastic regulation” on Friday, which will cap the daily passenger capacity at 6,000 cruise tourists and reduce the number of calls by cruise ships carrying over 3,000 passengers by 48%.

The total number of cruise ship calls will be limited to 34 in 2026 and further reduced to 31 in 2027. Larger cruise ships will have to transfer their passengers to smaller boats to access Cannes directly. Mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard, said in a statement: “It’s not about being against cruises, but of eventually welcoming only smaller, more aesthetic, more modern and environmentally-friendly vessels. Cannes is acting methodically, consistently and rigorously to reconcile economic issues, attractiveness and the protection of biodiversity.”

In 2024, Cannes welcomed 460,000 cruise passengers, according to the city council, some of whom arrived on giant cruise ships capable of carrying more than 5,000 passengers.

The city council also announced that it is creating a new ecological anchoring zone south of Sainte Marguerite Island to protect marine environments and better manage ship mooring.

Located just off the coast of Cannes, it is the largest island of the Lérins Islands, and is known for its crystal-clear waters, beautiful natural environment, is car-free, and has a historic monastery, while also featuring the largest underwater museum in Europe.

By 2027, the city of Cannes stated it will offer 20 environmentally friendly moorings designed for boats between 6 and 20 metres.

However, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said this was a “decision that imposes unjustified restrictions on a sector that enables millions of people to discover the world, while actively contributing to the vitality of port cities.”

Back in 2019, the Mayor of Cannes had already imposed an environmental charter on cruise companies, threatening to block passenger excursions if they failed to comply.

Nearby, the Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, recently revised his stance on the ban of large cruise ships in the area, raising the passenger limit from 900 to 2,500 for ships calling at Villefranche-sur-Mer, effective from July 1.  Under the new rules, 65 cruise ship calls will be allowed every year in the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer.

This move by Cannes comes amid growing efforts across Europe to regulate large cruise ships and protect historic and environmentally sensitive areas.

In Venice, authorities banned large ships from entering the Giudecca Canal in 2021, and the city has also seen recent high-profile protests against Jeff Bezos’s extravagant wedding in the city, when activists highlighted the environmental impact of mass tourism on Venice’s fragile ecosystem.